


Moments In Time

by PreppyVampire



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: Angst, Attempted Murder, Curses, Domestic Fluff, Dungeons & Dragons Campaign, Enemies to Lovers, Fantasy, First Time, Fluff, Heavy Drinking, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Romantic Angst, Sacrifice, Soulmates, Suicide Attempt, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:08:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28188201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PreppyVampire/pseuds/PreppyVampire
Summary: The V is for Vendetta...A collection of stories for Vanni Aevitas.
Relationships: Ferris Belmont, Vanni Aevitas, Vanni Aevitas x Ferris Belmont





	1. one o'clock

The days passed by like shadows, waxing and waning like the edges of the moon, drifting into the endless stream of people that passed by. One second, two seconds, three seconds gone, slipping through withered fingers and escaping into the atmosphere. Time will continue to run while the rest of the world tries to catch up, never really succeeding. When compared to the vastness of the universe, human life seems insignificant. Trekking through their days like ants, following one another in an orderly line and doing only what is necessary to survive. During his life, he could compare himself to a grain of sand that would tumble through an hourglass with no purpose other than to fill up the bottom with mass. Time is a vicious storm that tears away at the body and mind simultaneously. Only inside the eye are people able to discover their purpose in life.

Breath pale against the numbing air, a boy sat against an old brick wall. He was dressed in so many layers, with a dingy scarlet scarf coving the smudges of ash and dirt across his face. His silhouette was tiny and frail, but the layers of mismatched clothing made him look bulky and odd. The only indication of his failing health was his cheekbones perturbing from his pale face, and the defeated gaze in his golden eyes. The snowflakes were rushing through the wind, slashing against any exposed skin the boy had left. He yanked his old, worn-out hat over his silver hair, shivering as the wind picked up once more. Sighing, he watched as the clusters of Christmas shoppers traveled across the cobblestone streets. Lifting himself up into a standing position against the brick wall, he nearly collapsed again as he felt the empty pain in his stomach. He groaned, looking at the hundreds of faces pacing him by. He knew it was pointless to even ask. A kick to the stomach or a smack to the jaw was all he would receive in return, even though their pockets were fat with gold. 

With nothing to lose, he staggered down the ally ways and settled on an old blue house with a rusty iron gate. Walking up to the front door, he swallowed hard as he brought his hand up to knock. His knock was timid and slow, but a few moments later, a round man with a mustache came and answered the door. The air inside of the house was warm and scented like baked bread, and Vanni relaxed a bit in response. Surely, they would have something to spare. 

“Hi,” Vanni said, pulling his scarf down to expose his cracking lips. The man rolled his eyes, dramatically pulling at his cardigan as the winter air threatened to make its way inside of his home. 

“Great,” The man exhaled loudly, “Now the street rats are coming door to door.”

“I’m sorry,” Vanni muttered, coughing into his gloved hands. “Um, I was just wondering, do you have any-?”

“We ain’t given ya nothing,” The man barked, sticking his large head out of his house and looking around. “Where are your parents?” Vanni blinked in confusion. 

“I don’t have any, sir.” 

The man scoffed, yanking up his pants and wagging a finger towards Vanni.

“Well,” He said, “If you’re old enough to be out here alone, you’re old enough to get a job.”

“S-Sorry,” Vanni stuttered, taking a few steps back as the man slammed the door in his face. He sighed, yanking his scarf back over his nose. From the shadows of the buildings, a crowd came billowing out from behind the corner, knocking Vanni over as they struggled to hurry by. He stumbled and slipped on the ice, landing hard on his knees. The ice stung his fingers as he lay there for a moment, hesitant if he should even stand back up. Letting his eyes wander, he noticed a small, beat-up door towards the back of the ally. Picking himself up, Vanni staggered towards the end of the ally and towards the dimly lit doors. 

He placed his hand on the rough paintwork that coated the door, taking a deep breath and giving it a push. Rough wooden splinters scraped against his gloved palm; shards of black paint crumbling to the floor. The hinges whined as though it was some kind of warning, but their plea was silenced by a wall of noise. Laughter and chattering echoed through the bar, only being drowned out by the sound of the jukebox playing. Gambling men swore at one another through clouds of cigarette smoke and tossed down handfuls of chips onto wooden tables. Glasses clanged together as people cheered to whatever it was they were celebrating, and the aroma of expensive liquor stung Vanni’s nose. He covered his face with a gloved hand, making his way through crowd after crowd. Rows of sticky booths lined the wall, and Vanni picked one farther away from the freezing draft of the door. He collapsed at the booth, sighing with exhaustion as he rested his head on the table. The cold wood made him realize how much his forehead burned in comparison. 

A large man in an apron was bustling around from table to table, wiping the sweat from his forehand with an old washcloth. He quickly went from table to table, pushing used glasses and dirty plates in a large washing bin. Upon seeing Vanni, he paused for a moment and asked, “Ya good, kid?”

“Fine,” Vanni muttered, closing his eyes. The man set down his bin of dishes and raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“Don’t mean to stick my nose in yer business,” He said, tossing his old washcloth over his shoulder, “But do ya need a place to go?”

“What gave you that idea?” 

“Ya look like you’re about an inch away from death,” The man said with a small chuckle. Vanni narrowed his eyebrows, bringing his arms up over his head to block out the dim light of the bar. 

“I’ll be out of here soon,” He said. “Please don’t call the cops.”

The man’s playful smile faded, and he grabbed his chin in thought. “Well,” He said finally, “I’m lookin for some help round the bar. Can ya wash dishes?”

Vanni opened his eyes and peaked his head out from under his arms. 

“I…Yeah, I can wash dishes.”

“Then why don’t ya work here? How old are ya, anyways?”

“Seventeen.”

“That’s plenty old,” The man said. “The upstairs of this place is an inn, you can stay in one of those rooms.” He reached into the pocket of his apron and pulled out a small golden key, tossing it onto the table. “You can start tomorrow. Get some rest today.”

“Wait-!” Vanni grabbed the key and made his way out of the booth, tripping over his clunky boots in his haste. “This is so sudden-! I mean, why are you doing this?”

The man shrugged. “We’ve got an extra room. Why not?”

Vanni shook his head, extending his arm in an attempt to hand the key back. 

“I can’t accept this, you’re being too generous to me.”

“It ain't for free,” The man laughed. “Those dishes better sparkle when you’re done with them.”

“Still,” Vanni said, turning the key over in his palm. The man scooped his washing bin back up and made his way to the next table, shouting over his shoulder, “Maybe if ya impress me, we can get ya behind the bar.”

“Thank you…” Vanni trailed off as the man disappeared into the back room behind the bar. Looking down at the key in his hands, Vanni felt a sense of fulfillment well up inside of him for the very first time.


	2. two o'clock

Vanni stood behind the bar that curved into the room, dark in the barely lit building. Through diamond-shaped windows, the street-lamps were able to illuminate a bit of the area. The smell hadn't changed much over the years. It was still scented with cigarette smoke, and the perfume that clung to clothing, skin, and furniture alike. It remained a den of debauchery, alcoholism, and gambling addictions. No-one came here with anything wholesome in mind. 

Though, at least they had a new bartender now. 

“He’s the youngest bartender we’ve ever had. He’s actually really good at it.” Arthur gestured to Vanni, who playfully spun his mixing glass on his elbow in front of the customers. The men surrounding Arthur nodded and cheered in response. “He brings in a lot of customers, actually. It’s pretty amazing.”  
Vanni set down a plethora of crystal shot glass in front of a group of women at the bar. They cooed in excitement as he grabbed his strainer and poured. The entire bar watched as the liquid that filled the shot glasses turned from purple, to blue, to green, to every color in the rainbow. Vanni didn’t spill a single drop as he poured down the line, creating a gorgeous row of rainbow liquor. The women cheered, throwing the shots back almost immediately after the trick was finished. Vanni looked out against the crowd of people, waiting to see Arthur give him a thumbs up like he usually would. Though, Arthur was nowhere to be seen. Vanni set the bottles of liquor down and craned his neck, finally seeing Arthur come back into view. He was waving to Vanni, and he was leading another man towards the bar. 

“Vanni, come here for a minute,” Arthur said with a smile. Vanni threw his towel over his shoulder and made his way around the bar, crossing his arms. Arthur gestured to a tall and muscular man standing next to him.“This is Ferris. He’s the new busboy, so make sure to go easy on him.”

Ferris had tousled dark hair, with the front strands in two braids. His eyes were a warm yet seductive magenta, that were constantly slanted in a playful smirk. A few piercings were strewed across his tanned skin, glistening under the artificial bar lights. He chuckled a bit as he waved towards Vanni. 

“Hey there,” Ferris said, looking Vanni up and down. “I didn’t know this job came with a view.”

“Funny,” Vanni said with an eye roll. “The dishes aren’t going to wash themselves, busboy.”

“Damn,” He said, laughing a bit. “I’ve got a name, ya know?” 

“I didn’t ask.” 

“I’ll leave you to get acquainted,” Arthur said, spinning on his heel and returning to his group of friends. Vanni returned to the bar, grabbing a glass off the shelf. Ferris followed, strutting behind Vanni with his hands in his pockets. 

“Well, my name Ferris,” He said with winked. “You’re gonna wanna remember it. It’ll be awkward if you forget while we’re sleeping together.”

Vanni’s pale face flushed immediately as he dropped the glass he was holding, which shattered against the bar floor. 

“G-Geez!” Vanni hissed, crunching a bit of the glass with his shoes as he reached for the broom against the wall. “S-Shouldn’t you get to work instead of harassing me?”

“I start tomorrow, actually.” Ferris strolled over to the opposite side of the bar, taking a seat on one of the free stools. “So tonight, I’m just any ol’ customer.”

“Ridiculous,” Vanni muttered under his breath as he swept up the reminisce of his shattered glass. He sighed, leaning the broom against the bar. “I’m assuming you’re going to demand a drink?”

“Demand?” Ferris leaned forward coyly. “If that’s how you like it.”

“Keep it up and I’ll spit in it.” 

“Fine,” He laughed, waving his hand, “Make me something sweet.”

Vanni grumbled to himself as he grabbed a tall glass, tossing a mixture of liquors into it. Ferris hummed to himself as he watched Vanni, his attention only wavering slightly as he heard the conversation next to him. Two large men sat grunting over their mugs of beer, looking Ferris up and down. 

“Damn, they really let anyone into this place, huh?” One of the men said. He rolled his eyes and brought his beer mug up to his mustache. 

Ferris’ smile thinned as he heard the men talking. 

“That’s Ferris Belmont, you couldn’t tell?”

“Hell, it was dark when I was screwing him, how would I remember?”

“That guy's shady as hell, I wouldn’t touch him with a five-foot pole.”

Ferris shifted in his seat as Vanni raised an eyebrow, slowly inching closer to the conversation as he continued making Ferris' drink. 

“Anyways,” The man continued, taking a sip of his beer, “Didn’t ya come here alone? I bet you could toss that guy a piece of silver and he’d spend the rest of the night with you.” He looked over towards Ferris and waved his fat hand. “Hey, babe! Ya remember me?”

Ferris rolled his eyes before he turned his head, a charming smirk almost immediately forming on his face. 

“Oh, of course I do. Did you want me to come over there?”

“What’s going on?” Vanni asked, placing a small toothpick of fruit into Ferris’ drink. “What are they talking about?”

“Oh,” Ferris said with a sad smile. “I uh, had a different job before Arthur hired me here.”

“Job?” The man laughed. “Yeah, if you call fuckin’ dudes for money a job.”

“Well, I got quite a bit a money outta you,” Ferris said as his smirk thinned. The man blubbered in anger at Ferris' response

“As if I'll take that from the biggest whore in all of Mechanicville.”  
Ferris’ eyebrow twitched at the word, but he quickly started laughing and waved his hand towards the man, saying, “At least come up with a clever insult. That’s just my job title.”

Vanni picked up the freshly mixed drink as he walked over towards the two men, and in one motion, splashed the glass’s contents into the man’s face. The man nearly choked as he dragged his hands down his face, swearing at Vanni.  
“What the-!”

“Don’t harass my employees,” Vanni said as he slammed the glass back on the counter. “You can go.”

“It ain’t harassment, he’s a dirty hooker!”

Without a word, Vanni grabbed the mug of beer that was on the table in front of the man and tossed the contents into his eyes. The man cried out in pain and anger as he slapped his hands on the bar, screaming, “Where’s the man in charge?!”

“I’m in charge of the bar, and I told you to get out.”

“I will get out, and I’ll never come back,” The man grumbled, hopping off the barstool and swatting at his liquor-soaked clothing. 

“There’s plenty of other alcoholics in Mechanicville, I think I’ll be fine.”

Ferris watched in surprise as the two men left, grumbling to themselves the entire way out the door. He turned back towards Vanni with a smirk. 

"Defending the local hooker, huh?"

“You shouldn’t call yourself that,” Vanni muttered, “Even if you’re joking.”

“Since when did you care, Mr. Bartender?”

“I don’t care,” Vanni hissed, grabbing the mug off the bar and shoving it into Ferris’ chest. “Make yourself useful and wash this.”

Ferris smiled as he took the mug, and leaned over the bar. He pulled himself close in towards Vanni’s ear and whispered, “Thanks.” Vanni’s face flushed from his nose to his ears as he shoved Ferris away, storming back towards his shelf full of liquor. “You better be careful," Ferris said with a chuckle. "I may just fall for you.”

“Don’t,” Vanni said as he grabbed another glass off the rack. “I’ll make you another drink if you stop talking.”

"Ah, I'm exhausted." Ferris hopped off the barstool and headed off towards the stairs, leading upstairs to the many rooms of the inn. Vanni stared at him blankly for a minute, before his face screwed up in realization. 

‘Don’t tell me…”

“Yeah, I live upstairs too.” Ferris tore a sheet of paper from a small notepad on the bar counter and scribbled something onto it. Handing it to Vanni, Vanni could see it was a phone number, underlined with several hearts. “So if you get lonely tonight, you know where to go.” A blush crept onto Vanni’s cheeks as he tore it in half, but Ferris only laughed in response. “I’ll see you here tomorrow?”

‘Yeah, whatever…”

Ferris took off upstairs, and Vanni didn't relax until he heard a door close behind him. Stuffing the two half of the paper into his pocket, Vanni returned behind the bar for the night.


	3. three o'clock

The cold November sun shone in through bar windows, illuminating the area as best as it could. Ferris spun on the barstool, nearly spilling the contents of glass onto his lap. Vanni rolled his eyes as he watched, mixing a drink for a woman at the bar. He looked up at the clock and sighed.

“Could you make yourself useful at all?” Vanni asked. Ferris laughed as he threw back the rest of his cocktail. 

“Yeah, I could make myself really useful. Your place or mine?”

“Classy,” Vanni mumbled. “Why don’t you do the dishes? You know, your job?”

“Arthur isn’t even here, why do you care?”

“Because they’re piling up, and I’m running out of clean glasses.”

“But that’s so boring,” Ferris said with a dramatic sigh. “Just give people dirty ones. They're drunk, what do they know?”

“I could say the same thing about you,” Vanni said as he snatched the empty cocktail glass away from Ferris. “You seriously finished another one?”

“What can I say?” Ferris said as he leaned forward, his cheeks red with intoxication. “You make a good drink.”

“I can also make out a good pink slip for you.”

Ferris giggled, tracing hearts into the bar table with his finger. 

“Hey Vanni?” 

“What?”

“What’s your number?”

“You have my number,” Vanni said. “You call me three times a day.”

“I meant bodies,” Ferris said with a laugh. Vanni looked up from the glass, a blank stare glazed over his eyes. His eyebrows leaped up the second he made the realization, and his face flushed furiously. 

“W-What kind of question is that-?” He asked, vigorously washing the already sparkling glass in his hand. 

“A getting-to-know-you question,” Ferris cooed. “A uh…I’m a little drunk, question.”

“I can tell,” Vanni said, turning away to hide his blush. 

“So? Four, five?”

“As if I’d tell you something like that.”

“No way-!” Ferris nearly spit out his cocktail laughing, his cheeks turning pink. “You’re still a virgin, aren’t you? Aren’t you like, twenty-something?”

“Twenty-one, and I never said I was-“

“Oh, it’s so obvious.”

Vanni paused, narrowing his eyes. “What do you mean it’s obvious?”

“I mean, look at you!” Ferris giggled as he leaned forward, grabbing the bow tied around Vanni’s neck. “Your sweaters, your little dress shoes…”

“Stop.”

“Just callin’ it like I see it,” Ferris laughed, reaching over the bar and grabbing a bottle of vodka. Vanni bit his lip as his brows furrowed. 

“Yeah, well at least I’m not a man-whore.” 

Ferris froze, the vodka still in hand, as his eyes slanted downward. 

“Oh, so we’re going there?”

“Just calling it like I see it.”

Ferris laughed a hard, fake laugh as he poured the vodka into his mouth directly from the bottle, nearly giving Vanni a heart attack. 

“You’re right,” Ferris said as his face unscrunched from the shot, “I’d much rather be a twenty-year-old virgin.”

“I-!” Vanni stammered, snatching the bottle back. “I never said I was a virgin.”

“Which is it, baby?” Ferris snickered. “You’re too good for sex? Or you’re too cool to be lonely? Can’t have both.”

“I’m not lonely,” Vanni hissed. 

“Yeah right, someone like you would pay hundreds for an hour of my attention.”

“Is the STD free, or do I pay for that too?” 

“Eat shit,” Ferris mumbled, “I don’t have any STDs.” 

“How would you know?” Vanni asked with narrow eyes. “You’ll sleep with anyone who pays you.”

“It was my job, asshole.”

“Some job.”

“I should have known you’d be like this.”

“Like what?”

“A condescending, judgmental, jealous little bitch.”

“A-!” Vanni’s eyes brimmed with anger as he shook his finger at Ferris. “I’m not jealous.”

“Yes you are. You’re jealous that I’ll sleep with anyone except you.”

“I don’t pay for sex.”

“Because you’re better than that?”

“Precisely,” Vanni said, “And I don’t associate with street rats.”

“Please,” Ferris scoffed. “Weren’t you a street rat a few years ago?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Sure,” Ferris said as he rolled his eyes. “You act like you’re better than everyone else, but you’re just as screwed as the rest of us.”

“Not as screwed as you,” Vanni said. “You’re a lost cause.”

“A lost cause who you’d never fall for, right?” Ferris asked, hopping off the barstool and leaning forward against the bar. 

“Of course not. I’m focused on work, not on frivolous things like-”

Ferris hopped onto the bar and swung his legs over, leaping off and grabbing Vanni by the waist. He shoved him into the bar wall with the full force of his body, staring him down the entire time. He pinned his arms down firmly against the wall and leaned in, pressing his chest against Vanni’s. Vanni’s face flushed completely red as he grew quiet, staring up at Ferris with wide eyes. Ferris’ eyes were intense, but the way they stared down Vanni made him shrink against the wall. Ferris leaned in, his lips just barely gracing Vanni’s as he whispered, “You’re just like the rest of us, sweetheart.”

Vanni froze as Ferris turned away, walking past the bar and slumping into a nearby booth. He adjusted his tie and cleared his throat, desperate to regain his composure. He stayed behind the bar for a little while, sneaking glances over at the busboy, who was still in the same booth. After an hour or so, Vanni sighed and made his way over. Vanni sheepishly walked towards the booth, fiddling with his fingers. 

“…Look,”

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“The only reason I said that stuff was because you started drunkinly attacking me with those questions!” Vanni crossed his arms, averting his eyes as Ferris looked towards him. “I only said what everyone else-,”

“You think I don’t know that?” Ferris barked, narrowing his eyes. “You think I don’t know what this town is thinking about me? Everywhere I go, people stare at me like I’m a dog who can talk. Like I’m some dirty fucking animal that shouldn’t even be allowed inside of a place like this.” 

Vanni awkwardly huffed, rolling his eyes as he looked away in an attempt to hide his face. 

“I’m a person, you know,” Ferris continued. “It’s not my fault I wasn’t raised with money. I had to start somewhere.”

“I’m…I’m sorry,” Vanni mumbled, keeping his eyes on the floor. “What I said was really…uncalled for, and I didn’t mean it.” 

“I get that sorta shit all the time,” Ferris hissed as he tossed his feet up on the table. “The only reason It hurt was because it was from you.”

“This is embarrassing,” Vanni muttered, “Look…I’ll admit I’m a little…insecure.”

“You? You’re kidding.”

“Shut up,” Vanni grumbled, taking a seat across from Ferris in the booth. “I get…sort of nervous when it comes to things like that. So knowing you can be so charismatic so effortlessly…maybe I am sort of jealous. I mean, you’re so charming and beautiful, I have no idea why you waste your time talking to me. I…I am just some loser who works at a bar. ”

“…You think I’m charming and beautiful?”

“Nevermind,” Vanni hissed, slapping his hands on the table and making his way out of the booth. Ferris stood up and blocked his way, grabbing his arms and leading him into his side of the booth. He sat back down, scooting closer to Vanni.

“Look,” Ferris said, placing a hand on Vanni’s shoulder. “I did a lot of things in my past, okay? A lot of it…I don’t really like to talk about. Especially not with cute aasimars.”

“Get on with it,” Vanni muttered as he sunk into the booth. 

“I can’t stress it to you enough, Van. What I used to do was work. There wasn’t any emotion behind any of it. Whatever I did back then…it was to survive. You get it?” 

“I guess,” Vanni said. Ferris chuckled, punching Vanni in the shoulder. 

“I’m sorry I bullied you for being a virgin. I actually think that’s kinda hot.”

“W-What?” Vanni’s eyes bulged as his face flushed. 

“Hoping that your first time will be with me,” Ferris winked, leaning in and giving Vanni a peck on the cheek. “It turns me on.”

“I’m leaving,” Vanni said as he attempted to sink down the booth and under the table. Ferris chuckled and grabbed him by the arm, hoisting him back up. 

“But…you seem kinda old fashioned. So I guess I should take you on a date first?”

“A…date?”

“Yeah. We both have off this Sunday, right? Let’s do something.”

“By something, you mean…?”

“No, a real date. Wherever you wanna go, let’s go.”

Vanni blinked for a moment before he looked away, embarrassed. 

“F-Fine. I guess.”

“It’s a date, then.” 

Ferris winked, slipping out of the booth and disappearing into the bar. Vanni sunk down into his seat, yanking his sweater up over his head in a desperate attempt to cover up the last of his dignity.


	4. four o'clock

The morning of their date was a sunny day in November. Vanni sat on the front steps to the bar, a flood of warm embarrassment rushing up his spine. He could feel his pale cheeks turn hot, and he scrunched up his nose. Looking up at the town clock, he sighed. It was already forty-five minutes past their meeting time. Vanni could feel his breathing start to pick up as he yanked his coat tighter around his body. 

“This was stupid,” He muttered, feeling a lump form in the back of his throat as he tried to make his lip stop quivering. His fingers trailed into his pocket and yanked out a pack of cigarettes, which he could hardly light with his shaky hands. He took an exceptionally long drag and exhaled, shaking his head. 

“I don’t know what I expected.” 

As he placed his lips on his cigarette a second time, he heard an obnoxious cry from down the road.

“Hey-!”

Vanni turned his head to see Ferris sprinting down the cobblestone streets, waving his hand in the air like a mad man. Vanni swallowed hard as a wave of relief ran over him, and he wiped his eyes with the back of his coat sleeve. Ferris finally made his way to the front entrance of the bar, immediately doubling over and panting. 

“I’m-I’m so-sorry-!” He struggled to talk as he gasped for air. Vanni looked him up down, noticing the unusual effort he actually put into his appearance. His hair was gelled back, and he had on a red button-down with dark pants to match. Ferris reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box. “Here, this is for you.” Vanni took it, confused. 

“What’s this?” He asked. 

“For you-!” Ferris panted, finally starting to catch his breath. “I uh, I forgot that I wanted to grab it for you in that little shop downtown. I saw it the other day, and it made me think of you, but the store was totally packed today.”

Vanni plucked the top off the box, revealing a golden pocket watch. He pulled it out of the box, admiring the engravement.

“You got me a watch?” Vanni scoffed, opening up the watch and internally praising the black and gold face. “You’re the one who’s almost an hour late.”

“Go easy on me, would ya?” Ferris scowled as he smelled the smoke coming off Vanni’s cigarette, and he plucked it out of his hand. “I told you to stop doin that,” He said, tossing it to the ground and stomping it out.

“Nervous habit,” Vanni muttered, stuffing the watch into his coat pocket. 

“Why were you nervous?” Ferris asked, “You didn’t..did you think I wasn’t going to show up?”

“Obviously!” A blush crept onto Vanni’s cheeks as he shouted, crossing his arms and turning away from Ferris. 

“Vanni,” Ferris chuckled, wrapping his arms around Vanni’s waist and pulling him into a hug. “I’m sorry I was late, but I would never stand you up. Not ever.” Vanni’s eyes peeked over Ferri’s shoulder as he held him, and their height difference became more apparent. 

“How am I supposed to know that?” Vanni muttered against his shoulder. 

“I’ve been flirting with you since I met you. You think I’m just going to blow you off?”

“I’ve never…done this sort of thing before. I’m not really sure what to think.”

“You’ve never been on a date?” Ferris asked, snapping back out of the hug and staring at Vanni in shock. 

“Go home,” Vanni grumbled, shoving Ferris in the chest. Ferris laughed and grabbed him by the wrists. 

“I’m only teasing,” Ferris chuckled. “I’m just surprised, is all.”

“Yeah, well…” Vanni turned away, blushing as Ferris swung his arms back and forth. “Um…if you don’t mind, I’d like to go somewhere you like.”

Ferris blinked in confusion. “Somewhere…I like?”

“Yeah,” Vanni looked away, bashfully. “Take me somewhere that makes you happy. I wanna know what makes you tick.”

Ferris thought for a moment, and then his face light up with sheer excitement. He grabbed Vanni by the hand and darted off down the street, passed the shops and crowds, and into the forest. 

“W-Where are we going?” Vanni asked as Ferris tugged him along. 

“You’ll see.”

The city blended into the pine trees of the forest effortlessly, and after a while, the forest trees began to clear. The rolling hills that appeared in his vision made Vanni completely stop in his tracks. Past the trees was a small but gorgeous countryside. The country fields ran and folded into one another perfectly, like a duvet that was crumpled in all the right ways. Lush green grass tufted and waved like the ocean as Ferris took off towards an old, broken down barn in the distance. 

“Vanni!” He cupped his hands around his mouth. “Look!” Ferris spun around in the fields, stretching his arms out wide and smiling “Isn’t this awesome?” Ferris gushed. Vanni cringed as he walked through the fields, trying his best to keep up with his date. Seeing this, Ferris ran back, scooping Vanni up in one motion and charging off towards the barn. Vanni screamed in protest, but Ferris only laughed and took off towards the old barn. The barn blossomed on the hill amidst the flowers, though the condition was a little concerning. The paint was rough and chipped, but Ferris was smiling as if it were brand new. He placed Vanni back down on his feet and ran to the double doors, swinging them open. “Come look inside!”

Vanni walked forwards hesitantly. As he lugged open the heavy doors, it was the smell that hit him first. The old paint swirled into his first breath, and the musk of animal fur and old hay followed shortly after. He scrunched up his face as Ferris led him inside, immediately taking him to a small section with two old cows. They swished their tales and went trotting up to Ferris once he stuck his hands out towards them. “These are my cows,” He said with a smile. Vanni nervously stretched out his hand for the cow to sniff, and screamed when the cow decided to lick his fingers. Ferris nearly doubled over in laughter as Vanni desperately wiped his hands on Ferris’ pants. He took Vanni by the hand and pointed next to the cows, where a small coop of two chickens sat. The chickens clucked and ruffled their feathers, making Vanni flinch in response. 

“I love it here,” Ferris said with a warm smile. “I know it’s not technically mine, but nobody else takes care of these animals.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I found this place on a walk once. The animals were about to die, but I used my last paycheck to get them some food. Plus, now I’ve always got a place to sleep if I need it!” Ferris gestured to the dingy barn, and Vanni winced as he forced a smile. “It gives me a lot of time to think when I’m here,” Ferris said. 

“What do you like to think about?” Vanni asked, making sure to stand behind Ferris as they walked passed the chickens. 

“My future, mostly,” Ferris said. He grabbed a bale of hay off the wall and handed it to Vanni, who clearly struggled to hold it. “I want to live in a house someday with my own farm. It’s stereotypical, I know. Live a crazy city life, and then move into a farmhouse with a little wife and a dog. But it just seems so nice…away from the noise in the city. I’m sure my family could come visit if they wanted to.”

“That’s something I can agree with you on,” Vanni said as Ferris grabbed pieces of hay from Vanni and handed them to the cows. “I’d love to get away from all the noise.”

“I’ve spent a lot of time doing…I don’t even know what.” Ferris smiled sadly as he watched the cow chew. “I’ve had to make the best out of a bad situation way too many times.”

“I know,” Vanni said. “To be honest, I respect you a lot for that.”

“Huh?’ Ferris turned his head in surprise. “You respect me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” 

“No? I mean, I’m a blue-collar hooker who’s gotten up to god knows what with god knows who…that earns respect from you?”

“At least you did something,” Vanni said with a sigh. “I was homeless my entire life. The only reason I’m at the bar is because Arthur took me in. I never earned any money myself, or tried to change my fate at all.”

“Not like it was your fault,” Ferris mumbled. “But still, that’s the first time anyone’s ever said they respect me.”

“I meant it,” Vanni said with a nod. “I don’t care what you did before coming to the bar, I think it’s great that you always did something with the cards life dealt you.” 

“Now you’re just tryina get in my pants,” Ferris laughed. Vanni’s face flushed as he chucked the bale of hay at Ferris’ head and turned to storm off. Ferris grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back, effortlessly swinging him into a hug. He cradled Vanni’s head against his shoulder, smiling. “Seriously. Thank you.”

“Yeah, whatever…you’re not as bad as I thought you were, I guess.”

“Careful,” Ferris laughed, pulling himself out of the hug and bopping Vanni on the nose. “Member that little wife I mentioned? Play your cards right, and it might be you.” 

“Look at the time,” Vanni said, yanking his pocket watch out of his pocket and turning on his heel.”Time for me to leave you here with your cows.”

Ferris chased after him laughing, following him out of the woods and back into the heart of the city. They walked back towards the bar hand in hand, laughing and joking with one another the entire time. When they finally made their way back to the bar, the sun had begun to set behind the autumn clouds. Vanni looked up at Ferris, asking, “So, do you wanna come up to my room?”

Ferris perked up, squeezing Vanni’s hand in response. 

“Really? Geez, I figured you’d be harder to swoon.”

“Huh?” Vanni cocked his head to the side, leading Ferris up the stairs into the hallways of the many rooms. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing.” Ferris smiled as Vanni unlocked the door, and lead him into his immaculate room. From every piece of wrinkle-free furniture to the glinting glass tables, from the neatly folded blankets to every crystal clear window, the sleek wooden floors covered in white throw rugs to the thick white curtains draped over the crystal clear window, everything in Vanni’s room was pristine. The furnishing was clean and classic, and was equipped with sets of coasters on each arm of every sofa or chair. Every item had an obvious place. Books were lined up exactly within a set distance apart from one another and every candle was burned down to the exact same place on every wick. “Geez, you really are anal, huh?” Ferris laughed. Vanni took his coat and hung it next to his own on a small hook by the door. 

“To put it crudely, I suppose.”

Ferris started unbuttoning his shirt, taking a seat on Vanni’s bed. “Get over here,” He said as he narrowed his eyes into a smirk. Vanni raised his eyebrows in confusion, taking off his shoes. 

“Why?”

Ferris tossed his dress shirt to the side and peeled off the tank top he was wearing underneath, revealing his completely bare chest. 

“What, am I supposed to chase you?” Ferris stood up as Vanni came towards him, clapping his hands onto his wrists. Ferris grabbed Vanni firmly and yanked him forward, tossing him down on the bed with no effort. He climbed on top of him, effortlessly supporting his own weight. Vanni’s eyebrows rose as he saw Ferris smirking over him, and his face flushed a deep crimson. He turned to roll away, but Ferris had him by the shirt. He shifted under the weight, looking back up at Ferris with wide eyes. “You’re cute when you’re under me,” Ferris purred, leaning down.

“Woah-!” Vanni squeaked, pushing Ferris back and rolling off the bed, falling directly onto the floor. 

“Vanni!” Ferris reached down, but Vanni shook his head in response. 

“S-Sorry,” Vanni stuttered, burying his face in his hands, “I wasn’t expecting that.”

Ferris blinked in confusion, standing up from the bed and kneeling down next to Vanni.

“You…weren’t expecting that?”

“Look, I don’t know if you’ve realized this,” Vanni grumbled, his eyebrows narrowing, “But I’m not really experienced with that sort of thing.”

“Isn’t that why you invited me up here?” 

“What?” Vanni asked, feeling his cheeks grow even hotter. “N-No, I was planning on making you something to eat! I didn’t think we would…do that…”

Ferris grabbed the back of his neck, sighing awkwardly. “Do you…not want to?” He asked. 

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Vanni said, shaking his head. 

“You just don’t want to with me?”

“Not at all,” Vanni said. “I never even considered doing it with anyone else…”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I just…” He trailed off, taking a seat back on his bed. “I don’t want you to think I’m expecting that from you.”

Ferris blinked, plopping down next to Vanni and shrugging his shoulders. 

“We just went on a date, of course you’re expecting it.”

“But I’m not though-!” Vanni cried. “That thought pattern you have, that’s exactly what I’m trying to stop. I don’t want you to think you have to do that just because it was your job, or because you’ve done it a lot in the past, or because everyone else you’ve dated expected you too.” Vanni fiddling with his fingers, unable to look Ferris in the eyes. “I don’t want you to do it with me until you really, really want to.”

“Vanni, of course I-,”

“I’m serious!” 

Ferris couldn’t help but laugh under his breath as he watched Vanni shoot up from his sitting position and point his finger directly in Ferris’ face. It was like he was scolding him for being late to work. Vanni grabbed Ferris’ tank top off his bed and shoved it into his bare chest. “Put this back on, and don’t even think of taking it off around me until you are a thousand percent sure it’s what you really want.”

Ferris smiled, taking the tank top and shrugging it over his shoulders. 

“It’s not that serious, babe.”

“It is that serious,” Vanni said. “To me, It’s that serious. You’re worth more than sex, Ferris. I’m going to make sure you realize that.” 

Ferris’ face completely froze as he watched Vanni pull away, and turn to start adjusting the bed. Was he…worth more than sex? Was there something about him that Vanni actually enjoyed? Something deep within his twisted conscious that would give Vanni any satisfaction in getting to know? Ferris’ smile disappeared as he thought, wondering if Vanni would still feel the same way once he knew everything there was to know. 

“Don’t just sit there, I’m trying to fix the bed.”

“Damn,” Ferris laughed, shaking himself out of his thoughts and hopping up from his position so Vanni could adjust the comforter. “You’re the only man I’ve ever met who would rather yell at me than have me suck him off.” 

“And I’m going to yell at you again for tracking your nasty shoes into my room!” Vanni hollered, suddenly noticing Ferri’s footwear. He grabbed Ferris’ ankle and hoisted his foot up into the air, exposing the muddy boot that was still on his foot. “You had the audacity to jump into my bed with these on? Your abysmal farm boots? In my white bed? What kind of animal-?”

“Hey, Vanni?”

“What?” Vanni growled as he unlaced Ferris’ boot and yanked it off his foot. Ferris couldn’t help but smile as he watched him, his magenta eyes heavy and half-opened. Vanni paused as he noticed the silence in the room and looked up at Ferris, confused. “…What?”

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”


	5. five o'clock

Ferris thumped down the stairs into the bar, still in his pajamas, with his hair tousled in every direction. As he came to the bottom of the stairs, he paused, seeing Vanni dash back and forth between tables. He had a wash bin in his hands with handfuls of washcloths, and he hardly even noticed as Ferris came into the bar. 

“Woah, you’re seriously up early,” Ferris said. 

“Yeah…” Vanni mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Ferris yawned as he walked behind the bar, grabbing an orange juice out of the fridge and cracking it open. “Surprised to see you actually cohesive at seven in the morning.”

“Yeah, I had a weird dream last night and couldn’t fall back asleep, so I figured I’d get some breakfast. I like hanging out down here before it’s open.” He watched as Vanni vigorously scrubbed down the booths, only stopping to grab his sponge and do another layer of scrubbing. “You know, it’s not your job to do all this.”

“Arthur has been sick lately, and I don’t want this place getting dirty.”

“Let it get a little dirty,” Ferris said as he pulled a crushed up granola bar out of his pocket. “A little grime builds character.”

“I hope you’re joking,” Vanni said, narrowing his eyes. “It’s flu season, you know.”

“Hey, I’m drinking orange juice!” Ferris dramatically hung the orange juice bottle above his head. “All this Vitamin C is gonna keep me so healthy.” He plopped down into one of the booths, ripping open the granola bar and spilling crumbs down his shirt. Vanni cringed as he threw down his sponge and swatted Ferris’ chest. 

“I didn’t stay up all night for you to go screwing up the booths I just cleaned!”

Ferris chuckled as Vanni scooped up the granola bits, but paused quickly after, saying, “Wait, you’ve been up all night?”

Vanni blinked as he realized what he had just said. He grabbed the wash bin and hurried off to the next table, eager to avoid the earful he would inevitably receive from Ferris.  
“Are you serious? Again?!” Ferris cried, hot on his tail. He grabbed Vanni by the wrist and pulled him, forcing him to look him in the eyes. Vanni’s golden eyes had a slightly red tint, which didn’t help to explain the bags under his lower lashline. “You promised you’d go to bed last night.”

“I seriously meant to, but there was just so much to do.”

“You look exhausted, Vanni.” Ferris sighed. “How long has it been since you’ve slept?”

“I don’t know,” Vanni murmured, pulling away from Ferris and picking his washcloth back up. “A couple of days?”

“Days?”

“Look, I’m the only one who does any actual work around here,” Vanni snapped. “Who is gonna do it if I don’t?”

“You don’t need to wash every table, who cares if they’re dirty? People don’t come here for the five-star health code, you know.”

“I care if it’s dirty,” Vanni said, grabbing a sponge out of the bin and ducking under one of the tables. “It’s gonna bug me.” He swore under the table, suddenly reemerging and grabbing his wash bin. “Damn, I need to go wash the dishes.”

“No, I can do them,” Ferris said as he ran to catch up with Vanni, who had taken off towards to bar. 

“Oh, now you wanna do your job?”

“What do you mean?” Ferris said, crossing his arms. 

“I mean you’re lazy.”

“Lazy?!” Ferris gawked. “I’m not lazy!”

“When’s the last time you washed a dish?” Vanni asked. “You spend every night screwing around on the pole, or convincing the gambling addicts to give you their chips.”

“It’s fun,” Ferris mumbled as his face dropped a bit. “I thought it made you laugh.”

“It does make me laugh, but someone has to pick up the slack.” 

“Fine, work yourself to death.” Ferris huffed over to the bar and plopped down at a barstool, taking a dramatic swig of his orange juice. Vanni rolled his eyes as he took his place behind the bar, tossing the wash bin down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve.

“Do you want breakfast?” Vanni asked. Ferris held the orange juice up to his lips, blinking in confusion. 

“…You’re not being serious right now.”

“What?”

“I just got done yelling at you for working too hard,” Ferris said as he slammed the bottle onto the table, “Now you’re gonna go make me an omelet too?”

“It’s really no trouble,” Vanni said, his voice cracking a bit. Ducking down, he shuffled through the dishes crammed under the bar. He grabbed a bowl, but paused for a moment as he held it. Ferris raised an eyebrow in confusion as Vanni suddenly took on a deathly pale complexion; even his lips were barely there. Then with one step backward, he crumbled to the ground like a puppet released from its strings. Ferris cried out, rushing back behind the bar and scooping Vanni up into his arms.

“Vanni?” He cried, grabbing onto his cheeks and shaking desperately. Upon touching skin, Ferris realized he was absolutely burning up. He swore under his breath as he shook him, but Vanni was out cold. With one swoop of his arms, Ferris picked him up and hurled him over his shoulder, staggering up the stairs. He held Vanni steady with one hand while he opened the door to his room, slamming it behind him. Walking over towards his unmade bed, he lay Vanni down gently. He muttered under his breath and he walked into the bathroom, snatching a washcloth out of the cupboard and running it under cold water. 

“Ferris?”

Ferris dropped the cloth and poked his head out the bathroom, seeing Vanni collapsed like a rag doll in his bed. 

“Are you awake?” Ferris asked. 

“Hm?” Vanni rolled over and stared at Ferris with half-lidded eyes. “What happened?” 

Ferris crossed his arms, grumbling, “You’re sick, you jerk.” 

Vanni rolled over, stuffing his face into the nearby pillow and groaning. Ferris stormed over towards the bed, shaking Vanni by the shoulder. 

“Look at me.”

Vanni kept the pillow up against his face, turning his head slightly so that only his eyes were peering over the pillow towards Ferris. Ferris yanked the pillow down, sighing as he saw Vanni’s fever-flushed cheeks. 

“Stop doing this to yourself. I mean it.”

“I don’t like it when you get like this,” Vanni whined. “It’s my job to yell at you.”

“I don’t like it when you work yourself sick and collapse on the bar floor,” Ferris growled. 

“You can’t yell at a sick person,” Vanni mumbled into the pillow. “That’s a crime, I’m pretty sure.”

Ferris sighed as he kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed next to Vanni, tossing a pillow over his lap. He grabbed him by the shoulders, laying him down across his legs. “Babe, you’re gonna end up killing yourself. I know you have a complex about working hard-,”

“I don’t have a complex,” Vanni said, picking his head up from Ferris’ lap and narrowing his golden eyes. 

“You definitely do,” Ferris said, shoving his head back into the pillow. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you take a single day off.”

“So?” 

“I’ve known you for three months.”

“…And?”

“And how many times did you pass out before I started working here?”

“…Not that many…”

“Any is too many!” Ferris lightly whacked Vanni on the back of the head, sighing. “You don’t need to earn things like sleep, food, and breaks, Vanni. You’re entitled to them.”

Vanni shoved his face against the pillow, his eyebrows raising as his face grew sad. 

“I need to prove to myself that I’m more than just some dumb street rat…”

“Is that seriously how you feel?”

“The fact that I even have a room to sleep in,” Vanni said into the pillow, “It’s a debt I’ll never be able to pay off.”

“Vanni.” Ferris placed a hand under his chin, bringing his head up out of the pillow. “That was four years ago. You’ve done more than enough; you’ve changed this entire bar.”

“I know that,” Vanni whispered, leaning his face against Ferris’ cool hand. “I just feel like it’s not enough.”

Ferris sighed, running his fingers through Vanni’s hair. “You didn’t just change the bar, you know. You changed me, too.”

“You’re just saying that,” Vanni muttered. 

“No, you do so much for me every single day. You pick up my slack at work, you break into my room and do my laundry, make my bed, everything. You even cooked me dinner last week and then meal-prepped my food for the next six days.”

“How did you know that was me?”

“Oh yeah, it was the meal-prep goblin.”

Vanni bit his lip and looked away. Ferris grabbed him by the cheek and pulled him forward, giving him a soft kiss on the nose. “You don’t have to do all of that stuff for me, you know.”

“But I like doing it. I don’t know how else to show you…you know…”

“You care about me?” Ferris smirked, wrapping his arms around Vanni’s neck and pulling him in closer. Vanni swatted at him in protest, picking up the pillow and whacking him in the head. 

“I’m not saying it out loud,” Vanni grumbled. 

“If you really care about me, could you care about yourself a little bit more?” Ferris grabbed one of the strewed blankets on the floor and draped it around Vanni’s shoulders. Vanni fell back into Ferris’ lap like a deflated balloon, muttering, “Fine.”

Ferris smiled, wrapping him in a tight hug. "You're a huge brat, you know that?"

"Don't make fun of me," Vanni whined, shoving his head into Ferris' chest. "I don't feel well."

“Good," Ferris said as he pulled Vanni back into his lap and placed a hand on his back. "Maybe now, you'll finally get some sleep.”


	6. six o'clock

The setting sun spilled through the tinted bar windows as Ferris came barreling down the stairs, hauling to a stop in front of the bar. He was sporting a white suit with matching shoes as he slipped behind the bar, grabbing Vanni by the cheeks and pulling him into a kiss. Vanni’s face turned pink as he looked away, embarrassed.

“Hey handsome,” Ferris cooed. “Today is Valentine's day, you know.” 

“I know,” Vanni said, grabbing a bottle of liquor off the shelf and mixing a drink. Ferris stood there in silence for a moment, waiting for Vanni to say anything else. 

“So…what did you want to do?”

“Nothing in particular,” Vanni said with a shrug. 

“Oh, come on,” Ferris said with a sheepish grin. “This is my first Valentine's day with a partner.” 

“Really?” Vanni asked. “I figure an attractive, promiscuous man such as yourself has had a lot of lovely valentines days.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” Ferris muttered, sucking in air through his teeth. “Valentine's day for a man of my profession isn’t always…ideal.”

Vanni raised an eyebrow, setting a glass onto the bar table. Ferris sighed, rolling his eyes.

“To give you an idea, I spent my last Valentine's day bent over a 50-year-old guy’s bed. Which, wouldn’t have been too bad if his wife hadn’t caught him in the act.”

Vanni face was struck with horror as Ferris laughed, waving his hand dismissively. “I spent most of the night in the emergency room, getting stitches in my head after she threw a vase at me. Got ten gold out of it, though,” Ferris chuckled, but the atmosphere in the room was dramatically dropping. “Uh, anyways, don’t you wanna do something cute?”

“Valentine's day is a fake holiday,” Vanni said, shaking his head and grabbing his shaker. “You shouldn’t get so wrapped up in commercial schemes.” 

“But, we’ll have the entire night to ourselves, you know.”

“Good, then you can use it as a day to treat yourself.” 

“But I want to spend it with you.” 

“I don’t see what the big deal is.”

Ferris sighed with annoyance as he crossed his arms. 

“Geez, you’re stubborn today.”

Vanni paused, cocking his head to the side. “Are you upset with me?”

“Of course not,” Ferris grumbled as he stormed away from the bar. Vanni’s face fell a bit as he reached out to grab Ferris before he walked away, but he was a second too late. Ferris stormed off upstairs, swallowed hard in an attempt to catch himself from crying. He grabbed the door to his room and fiddled around for his key, suddenly realizing that it wasn’t in his pockets.   
“Ugh, you’re kidding me,” He grumbled as he searched his back pockets. The absence of his key was becoming more and more apparent. Sighing in defeat, he looked around the hall. He absolutely couldn’t go back downstairs after storming off, that would just be embarrassing. He took a gamble and tried Vanni’s room, which to his surprise, was unlocked. Ferris creaked the door open a tad and popped his head in, and sure enough, Vanni was nowhere to be found. He sighed and closed the door behind him, kicking off his shoes and collapsing into Vanni’s perfectly made bed. Grabbing one of the decretive pillows and hugging it close to his chest, he stuffed his nose into it and sighed. Don’t cry, he thought to himself. He scrunched up his face, trying his best not to think of all the terrible memories Valentine's day inevitably brought him. The endless fighting, the emotional pain, the numbing sense of emptiness. It was childish to think that this year would be any different.   
.  
Ferris dozed off during his thoughts, only being woken up by a sharp ringing in his pocket. He grumbled to himself as he checked his phone, huffing as he saw the name pop up. 

“What?” Ferris barked.

“Did you uh…loose your key?” 

“…Did you find it?”

“Come to your room.”

Vanni hung up the phone after that, leaving Ferris on the line alone. He jammed his phone back into his pocket, muttering under his breath as he picked himself up off Vanni’s bed and stormed into the hallways. Walking down the hall, and paused in front of his room and turned the nob, throwing the now unlocked door open with ease. When he saw what was inside, Ferris’ jaw dropped. 

The room was lit by only candlelight, but Ferris could still make out the layout well. The bed was made up with rose petals dusted over it, and a few red gift bags taking up space at the foot. The small table in Ferris’ room was set with a white cloth, flowers and a homemade dinner. Sitting at the table was Vanni, dressed in a completely black suit with the only hint of color being the gold pocket watch chain hanging from his pocket. He sat with his arms crossed, nose pointed towards the floor. Ferris clapped his hand over his mouth as he walked into the room, his eyes welling up with tears. 

“V-Vanni…” He whispered as he looked over towards the gift bag on the bed. 

“What?” Vanni muttered, fiddling with the tablecloth. “I…I don’t know how this stuff got here.”

Ferris covered his mouth with his hands as he sat down on the bed, taking in the full view of the room before him. Vanni stood up, taking a few steps towards him. “I uh…I figured after dinner, we could go walk around the river? I know how you like to look for the frogs…It was raining earlier, so there should be some hopping around.”

Ferris held out his hands and waited for Vanni to take them. He pulled him over towards the bed, and Vanni took a seat next to him. Ferris ran his hand down Vanni’s jacket, smiling. 

“When did you have the time to change?”

“I had this in the back room,” Vanni said with a grin. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small silver key. “Also, here’s this back.”

Ferris took the key and smiled, not even noticing the tears that suddenly erupted from his eyes. Vanni squealed and waved his hands in a panic.

“D-Don’t cry! Is it too cheesy? I thought you might like cheesy so I-.” 

“You really planned all this for me?” 

“Of course I did. It took a long time to save this kind of-I mean, it’s not like it was expensive, it just…took some planning, you know?”

“I thought…you didn’t like Valentine's day?”

“I just was trying to surprise you. I’m sorry, I guess I came off a little more aggressive than I was planning…I’ll do better next year, for sure.”

“Vanni…” Ferris said, placing his room key on the bed and covering his eyes with his hands. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“Stop crying!” Vanni stuttered, his face completely flushing. He scrambled to pick Ferris up off the bed, dusting off his suit jacket for him. “I wasn’t trying to make you cry…do you, uh, do you want some lasagna?” He pointed over towards the tray on the table. “I know it’s your favorite.”

Ferris looked over towards the table with his teary eyes and saw the really beautifully assembled lasagna, which was topped with shredded cheese in the shape of a heart. He immediately started crying again, throwing his giant arms around Vanni and squeezing as tight as he could. Vanni stood there for a minute, eyes peeking over Ferris’ shoulders, before he raised his arms and squeezed him back. 

“I really love you, Vanni,” Ferris whispered. Vanni’s heart jumped into his throat as he felt Ferris place his head in the crook of his neck. He froze, his hands hovering over Ferris’ back as if he’d break from a single touch. Noticing his hesitation, Ferris drew back and gently took Vanni’s hands, placing them on his own waist and pulling their bodies closer to together. Vanni felt Ferris’ breath on his neck, then the tender brush of his lips nearly burning as they made contact with his neck. A hand ran through Vanni’s hair, as the kisses become harder and more urgent. Another hand slid around his waist, pulling Vanni closer to Ferris’ pine-scented body. He leaned in, his lips against Vanni’s ear. 

“Hey Vanni…I think I’m ready.”

Vanni pulled away, a look of confusion crossing over his face.

“Ready for what?” 

Ferris’ face dropped into a playful frown. Vanni’s eyes widened with realization as he stuttered out, “Oh-! For…yeah, okay.”

“Are you ready?”

“…I mean, the lasagna is going to get cold…”

Ferris couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the completely serious response, causing Vanni to blush once more. Wiping away another tear from his eye, Ferris whispered, “Damn, I’m seriously in love with you.”

“I…” Vanni trailed off, fiddling with his fingers. “Ugh, don’t make me say it…”

Ferris snaked his hand around Vanni’s waist and pushed him onto the bed, crawling over him and ducking down to kiss his neck. His eyelashes grazed against Vanni’s cheek as his lips ghosted up towards his ear. Vanni froze as his heart began to take over his head, and he tossed his arms loose around Ferri’s neck. He nuzzled his head against Ferris’, before he paused completely. Ferris pulled back, his eyebrows raised with confusion. Vanni stared at him with glassy eyes. He smiled softly before his lip started quivering, and he muttered out a squeaky, “I love you too, ya know.”

Ferris’ eyes brimmed with tears as he leaned down, pulling Vanni into another kiss. He grabbed Vanni by the waist, hoisting him up into a sitting position as he peeled off his jacket. Ferris suddenly became extremely aware of his own heartbeat, realizing that it was nearly beating out of his chest. His breath was shaky as he took his trembling fingers up to undo his own buttons.   
“Are you okay?” Vanni asked, subconciously averting his eyes from Ferris’ bare chest until he realized he was actually allowed to look. His tanned muscles sloped into one another to form a tight six-pack, which Vanni wasn’t shocked to know he had. Still, he could feel his cheeks burning from embarrassment as he noticed that he had been staring for longer than he thought. Leaning forward, Ferris lightly yanked Vanni by his tie and whispered, “You like?”

“Sorry,” Vanni mumbled as Ferris ran his hands up the back of his shirt. “I’m making this awkward.”

“It’s okay. I’ve actually…never been this nervous, to be honest.”

“Why? It’s just me.” 

“That’s what’s making me nervous, dork.”

Ferris undid the buttons on Vanni’s shirt, and ran his hands up his bare, pale skin. Vanni shivered as he felt Ferris’ lips touch his, then ghost down to his neck, then down to his shoulder. Ferris leaned into him more, one hand on Vanni’s thigh and the other cupping his face. He smiled into every kiss, his stomach fluttering as he heard the sounds that left Vanni’s lips.   
But, the feeling building up inside of Ferris’ stomach was something different than he had experienced before. A strange sort of longing, needing, screaming for him. There was no ulterior motive or plan in place; he was fervently, irrevocably in love.


End file.
